An Open Letter to the Premier, NSW

Dear Premier,

We request that you respond to the live music industry’s request for a pause on implementation of the new Music Festival licensing scheme and immediately move to convene a roundtable with all the relevant parties, including industry representatives, to cooperate on a workable plan.

The festivals industry needs certainty and confidence about the government's expectations. The process to date has been ad hoc and poorly handled - leading to confusion and uncertainty among festival organisers. There are still many unanswered questions.

We are asking you to pause the implementation of new licensing requirements until there has been a proper consultation involving all industry bodies and key stakeholders i.e. music festival owners, regulators, medical experts, emergency services and law enforcement agencies.

We can't rely on the ad hoc assurances given through media in response to representations from a festival operator which have further confused the situation.

The best safety outcomes will be achieved by the government working with industry on policies and procedures that are effective and transparent - not through poorly designed regulations that are imposed without consultation.

The Government must work with the industry - not against it. We are ready to help through a properly managed consultation process, but the current arrangements must be shelved, and any new arrangements developed and implemented properly.

Yours sincerely

Evelyn Richardson Chief Executive Live Performance Australia

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